Combination Card Holder and Card Deck for Playing Cards

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a combination card holder and card deck for playing cards. The card holder includes a housing with a lid hingedly attached thereto. In a preferred embodiment, the interior of the housing is configured to hold double deck pinochle cards, which include four of each of the face cards of each suit, as well as four of each of the aces and tens of each suit, totaling eighty cards. The lid is dimensioned to cover the open top portion of the housing. The underside of the lid includes a pocket for holding playing cards that are in a player&#39;s hand, or for holding discarded cards during game play. The pocket includes an open upper end for receiving cards therethrough, and a closed lower end for preventing the cards from falling out therefrom. The pocket may be tapered from the upper end to the lower end thereof.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/890,517 filed on Oct. 14, 2013. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a combination card holder and card deck for playing cards. More specifically, the present invention pertains to an improved card holder having a housing with an interior volume for holding double deck pinochle cards, and a lid attached to the housing, wherein the lid comprises a pocket at an underside thereof. In one embodiment, the present invention can be used for holding double deck pinochle cards, which comprise four of each of the face cards of each suit, as well as four of each of the aces and tens of each suit.

Generally, players create different piles of cards while playing a card game. For instance, players create a play pile where cards are played, and/or a discard pile for cards that are rid of from the players' hands, while maintaining a deck where new cards are drawn from. While different piles of cards keep the cards somewhat organized, it can be distracting and annoying to maintain an organized deck of cards during game play. It can also be problematic when cards are disorganized during game play, as cards from different piles can become intermingled, confusing players and delaying the game.

This is particularly true when playing with a large deck of cards, and the cards repeatedly fall from a pile or are knocked over. For example, pinochle is a trick-taking card game typically for two to four players and played with a forty-eight card deck comprising two copies of each of the 9, 10, jack, queen, king, and ace cards in all four suits. Players score points by trick-taking and also by forming combinations of cards into melds. While pinochle is an entertaining game for many people, it can be difficult to maintain an organized deck of cards during game play due to the number of cards that is used to play pinochle. Thus, a device that allows players to organize playing cards during a game play is desired.

The present invention provides a combination card holder and card deck for playing cards. The card holder comprises a housing having an interior volume defined by a bottom wall, and side walls extending therefrom. The housing has a substantially rectangular prism shape with an open top portion, which provides access to the interior volume. The interior volume of the housing is dimensioned so as to hold double deck pinochle cards in a face down manner. In one embodiment, the double deck pinochle cards comprise four copies of each of the face cards of each suit, and four copies of aces of each suit, and four copies of tens of each suit, totaling eighty cards.

The housing further comprises a lid that is hingedly attached to a top end of one of the side walls. The lid can be securely closed via a closing mechanism attached thereto, wherein the closing mechanism can engage a matching closing mechanism disposed on the housing. The lid comprises an underside having a pocket attached thereto. The pocket is adapted to hold a plurality of cards. In one embodiment, the pocket is tapered from an upper end thereof to the lower end thereof. The upper end is open so as to allow a user to insert cards into the pocket. The lower end is closed so that the inserted cards are prevented from falling out. The pocket may be integrally formed with the lid or attached via strong adhesives or the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that disclose card holders for playing cards. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. The foregoing is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.

Some of these devices disclose cases for a deck of cards to maintain cards in an organized manner during game play. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 1,538,803 to Harris and U.S. Design Patent Number D224658 to Cole describe card holders having a recessed portion in which playing card deck can be placed. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 1,903,744 to Heusser discloses a card deck holder having an interior volume that is compartmentalized into two sections by means of a dividing wall that extend between two opposing side walls. U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,799 to Sippel discloses a case comprising a first section that can be removably connected to a second section. Each of the sections comprises a semi-oval shape so that when the two sections are connected, the sections form an oval shape. Each of the sections also comprises a hollow interior so as to receive playing cards therein.

The foregoing devices are directed toward cases for holding a deck of cards, wherein the devices generally comprise an open top. Thus, none of the foregoing devices disclose a compartment for holding playing cards that are in the user's hand to keep the rest of the cards in the deck separate therefrom. In contrast, the present invention comprises a card holder having an interior volume for holding a deck of cards, and a hingedly attached lid with a pocket for holding a fewer number of cards such that the cards are not visible to other players during game play.

Other devices disclose an apparatus for holding cards that a user has in his or her hand. U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,132 Freedman discloses a card holder comprising an upstanding shelf with a wall, wherein the wall is divided into two rows. Each of the rows comprises a horizontal support for holding a plurality of playing cards. The horizontal support, however, does not prevent other players from viewing the user's playing cards. In this way, the device of Freedman does not allow the user to hold the cards in his or her hand in a discreet manner. U.S. Pat. No. 1,521,481 to Jones discloses a bracket that can removably attach to an edge of a table. The bracket is adapted to hold a user's cards in a face down manner so as to prevent other players from viewing the cards. While the device of Jones allow users to hold their cards in a discreet manner, it is limited in the fact that it can only be used on a table top.

U.S. Design Patent Number D412723 to Hachuel discloses a card holder comprising a first section that is hingedly attached to a second section. The first section comprises a box like housing with an open top for partially receiving a deck of cards therein. The front of the first section comprises a compartment for holding a handful of cards therein. The second section is adapted to cover the compartment so as to prevent other card players from viewing the cards in the compartment. Unlike the present invention, however, the first section is adapted to hold the deck of cards so that the cards are upstanding. The present invention is configured so that the cards are played in a face down manner. In this way, the present invention allows the players to draw cards from the deck without disclosing to the other players the cards they drew.

The devices disclosed in the prior art have several known drawbacks because the prior art devices do not hold a deck of cards in an organized manner while holding cards in the user's hand in a discreet manner. The present invention overcomes these limitations by disclosing a box like housing with a hingedly attached lid having a pocket at an underside thereof. The housing is configured to allow double deck of pinochle cards to be stored face down, preventing other players from viewing the cards that are drawn from the top of the deck. The deck is confined within the housing so that it does not fall over, which can be distracting and cause annoyance while playing a card game.

Additionally, the lid is adapted to remain open via hinges so that the pocket can face the user and remain accessible to the user, but not to the other players. The pocket is adapted to keep the deck of cards separate from the cards that are in the user's hand. The pocket can be utilized to hold cards that are in the user's hand, providing convenience to the user by allowing user to maintain his or her cards in a hands-free and discreet manner.

It is therefore submitted that the present invention is substantially divergent in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing card holders for playing cards. In this regard, the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of card holders now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new and improved card holder for playing cards wherein the same can be utilized for holding a deck of cards in an organized manner while separately holding the cards in hand in a discreet manner.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new and improved card holder for playing cards that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved card holder for playing cards having a housing with an interior volume for holding double deck of pinochle cards, which include four copies of each of face cards of each suit, four copies of aces of each suit, and four copies of tens of each suit.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved card holder for playing cards having a lid with a pocket that can hold cards in the user's hand while preventing other players from viewing the user's cards.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved card holder for playing cards having a lid that is attached to a housing by means of hinges, wherein the hinges prevent the lid from opening beyond the horizontal axis.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved card holder for playing cards having a locking mechanism so as to open and close the lid in a controlled manner.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved card holder for playing cards wherein the device may be readily fabricated from materials that permit relative economy and are commensurate with durability.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein the numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the present invention in an open configuration.

FIG. 2 shows a view of the present invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

References are made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the card holder for playing cards. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used to hold a deck of cards in an organized manner while separately holding the cards in hand in a discreet manner. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a view of the present invention. The present invention comprises a card holder 21 having a box-shaped housing with a lid 24 hingedly attached thereto. The box-shaped housing comprises a bottom wall 29 and a first side wall 30 opposite a second side wall 33, and a third side wall 31 opposite a fourth side wall 34, wherein each of the side walls extend upward from the bottom wall 29, leaving the top end 36 open and defining an interior volume 35. The interior volume 35 of the housing is dimensioned so as to hold double deck pinochle cards in a face down manner.

The lid 24 is substantially rectangular is shape, and comprises a first end opposite a second end, and a third end opposite a fourth end. The first end of the lid 24 is attached to a top end of the fourth side wall 34 via hinges 28. In the illustrated embodiment, the hinges 28 extend along the entire length of the top end of the fourth side wall 34. The hinges 28 allow only a limited angle of rotation so that the lid 24 can remain open at an angle relative to the fourth side wall 34 and does not open beyond the horizontal axis. It is contemplated that the housing and the lid 24 are composed of material such as plastic metal, wood, or other suitable material. In some embodiments, the card holder 21 may be constructed to be suitable for single use so that it may be disposable.

The lid 24 comprises an underside having a pocket 27 attached thereto. The pocket 27 is substantially rectangular in shape and has a defined interior volume 23. The pocket 27 may be integrally formed with the lid 24 or attached via strong adhesives or the like. The pocket 27 tapers from the upper end 25 to the lower end 26 thereof. The lower end 26 of the pocket 27 is closed, and the upper end 25 of the pocket 27 is open, so as to provide access to the interior volume 23. The pocket 27 is dimensioned so that the peripheral edges of the pocket 27 does not extend beyond the peripheral edges of the lid 24.

The lid 24 further comprises a closing mechanism 22 attached thereto. The closing mechanism 22 is centrally located on the second end of the lid 24. The closing mechanism 22 may comprise a locking hinge, a latch, or the like. The closing mechanism 22 is adapted to engage with a matching closing mechanism 32 that is disposed on a top end of the third side wall 31. The matching closing mechanism 32 is centrally located along the top end of the third side wall 31 so that it is directly aligned with the closing mechanism 22 on the lid 24.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a view of the present invention in use. The interior volume 35 of the card holder 21 is configured so that it can hold double deck pinochle cards 38 face down. The double deck pinochle cards 38 include four copies of each of the face cards of each suit, four copies of aces of each suit, and four copies of tens of each suit. Thus, the interior volume 35 of the card holder 21 is adapted to hold approximately eighty cards in total. In one embodiment, the double deck pinochle cards 38 may be packaged within the card holder 21 of the present invention.

The present invention may be used to store cards or utilized during game play. In operation, the deck of cards 38 is confined within the side walls of the housing so that it is prevented from falling out. More specifically, the width of each of the bottom wall and the side walls is slightly greater than the width of the cards in the deck 38, so that the cards in the deck 38 can slightly shift within the interior volume 35, but not fall over. Additionally, the height of the side walls are greater than the height of the deck 38, so that the topmost card in the deck 38 does not extend beyond the top end of the side walls. In this way, the card holder 21 maintains the deck 38 in an organized manner, while allowing the players to draw cards from the top of the deck 38 through the open top portion of the housing.

The pocket 27 is adapted to hold one or more cards 37 that are in the user's hand. The pocket 27 is adapted to hold a plurality of cards therein. In some embodiments, the pocket 27 may be an accordion style pocket so that it can expand when more cards are inserted into the pocket 27. The pocket 27 is configured so that it can hold a substantial portion of the card 37 therein. In this way, a portion of the card 37 may remain outside of the pocket 27, thereby allowing the user to view the card that is contained in the pocket 27, or grab the exposed portion of the card 37 to easily pull it out of the pocket 27. In other embodiments, the pocket 27 may be configured to completely enclose one or more cards 37 therein.

Alternatively, the pocket 27 may be adapted to hold discarded cards therein during game play. In this way, the discarded cards from game play are not intermingled with the remaining cards in the deck 38. Additionally, the discarded cards can be kept in an organized manner inside of the pocket 27, and the cards are prevented from becoming lost or misplaced. When not in use, the lid can also be moved into a closed configuration so as to completely enclose the deck 38 and the card 37 within the housing.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above descriptions then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specifications are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim: 1) A card holder for playing cards, comprising: a housing having a bottom wall and side walls extending upward therefrom, defining an interior volume; wherein said interior volume is configured to hold double deck pinochle cards in a face down manner; a lid hingedly attached a top end of one of said side walls; a pocket attached to an underside of said lid. 2) The card holder for playing cards of claim 1, wherein said side walls comprise a first side wall opposite a second side wall, and a third side wall opposite a fourth side wall; said lid hingedly attached to a top end of said fourth side wall. 3) The card holder for playing cards of claim 1, further comprising: a closing mechanism on an end of said lid; a matching closing mechanism on a top end of one of said side walls; wherein said closing mechanism and said matching closing mechanism directly align. 4) The card holder for playing cards of claim 3, wherein said closing mechanism is centrally located on said end of said lid, and said matching closing mechanism is centrally located on said top end of one of said side walls. 5) The card holder for playing cards of claim 1, wherein said pocket comprises an open upper end and a closed lower end. 6) The card holder for playing cards of claim 1, wherein said pocket tapers from an upper end of said pocket to a lower end of said pocket. 7) The card holder for playing cards of claim 1, wherein said housing has a rectangular prism shape. 8) The card holder for playing cards of claim 1, wherein said double deck pinochle cards comprise four copies of each of face cards of each suit, four copies of aces of each suit, and four copies of tens of each suit. 